China Strengthens Control over AI Services, Requires Support for Communist System
China has implemented a new interim regulation that further strengthens control over artificial intelligence (AI) services in the country. According to the regulation, providers of AI services are now required to support the communist system and prevent the technology from subverting state power. The move reflects the Chinese government’s renewed emphasis on security and its aim to regulate all technologies and information that could pose a threat to the Communist Party’s rule.
The regulation, which went into effect on Tuesday, was published on July 13 and approved by China’s Cyberspace Administration, along with seven other agencies, including the Ministry of Public Security. One of the central sections of the regulation stipulates that AI service providers must adhere to the socialist core values and not generate content that incites subversion of state power or seeks to overthrow the socialist system.
Furthermore, the regulation requires Chinese AI providers possessing public opinion attributes or social mobilization capability to undergo security screening. It also includes other restrictions such as prohibiting the use of AI that endangers national security, damages the national image, incites succession, or undermines national unity and social stability. Additionally, AI cannot be used to promote false and harmful information banned by the Communist Party.
China has been actively promoting AI development and aims to become a global leader in the technology in the coming decades. The country currently boasts over 100 AI companies capable of producing services similar to popular platforms like the American ChatGPT and OpenAI chatbot services. However, the Chinese government’s focus on security and control is becoming increasingly apparent in its regulation of AI.
Matt Sheehan, a China expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, highlights the comprehensiveness of China’s regulations on AI, including control over algorithms, which are the most visible form of AI deployed on the internet. In recent years, China has introduced other measures to regulate AI, such as requiring the registration of algorithms and rules for synthetically generated content. The new interim regulation is part of a process to further develop comprehensive regulations on AI, intended to shape the technology to serve the Chinese Communist Party’s agenda, particularly in terms of information control and political and social stability.
While China’s regulations aim to ensure control and stability, they have also drawn attention and concern from other countries. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of the United States has previously emphasized that China should not be allowed to write the rules of the road for AI. The development of AI has significant military and intelligence applications and both the Pentagon and the Chinese military are actively working on advancing these capabilities. AI can be used for intelligence gathering, cyber spying, and operating autonomous weapons systems.
The regulation was signed by the leaders of major Chinese information and technology ministries, including Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, who is a close political ally of President Xi Jinping. It is part of China’s broader efforts to shape technology in a way that aligns with the Communist Party’s agenda.
As China continues to strengthen its control over AI services, it remains to be seen how these regulations will impact the development and deployment of AI technology in the country. However, it is clear that the Chinese government is taking a proactive approach to ensure that AI serves its interests and maintains social stability, while also raising concerns about the potential impact on innovation and freedom of expression in the AI sector.
In conclusion, China’s implementation of a new regulation requiring support for the communist system and control over AI services highlights the government’s focus on security and control in the development and use of AI. The regulation aims to shape AI technology to serve the Chinese Communist Party’s agenda, particularly in terms of information control and political and social stability. While these measures have drawn concerns from other countries, China remains committed to becoming a global leader in AI in the coming decades. The long-term impact of these regulations on AI innovation and freedom of expression in the sector is yet to be fully understood.
